What is the Difference Between TA and HLTA?

Teaching assistants can enhance their skills, increase their salary and gain more responsibilities by progressing into the Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) role.

HLTA is the natural progression from a TA and can be achieved with CTC Training’s online learning platform. In this article, we’ll discuss the additional responsibilities of an HLTA, their expected salary increase and how you can work towards becoming an HLTA today.

What are the responsibilities of an HLTA?

By completing the higher level teaching assistant course, teaching assistants acquire skills and knowledge that can enable them to take on extra responsibilities in the classroom. In addition to all the responsibilities of a standard teaching assistant, a higher level teaching assistant may also:

• Teach classes on their own
• Cover planned absences
• Manage other learning support staff

Plus, you’ll be rewarded with a higher salary for taking on additional responsibilities.

How much more can an HLTA earn?

Full-time, permanent TAs can expect to earn the following salaries:

• Level 1: £17,364
• Level 2: £18,000-20,000
• Level 3 and those with additional specialisms or SEN responsibilities: £25,000+

Higher level teaching assistants are those who have advanced to level 2 or level 3. It’s important to remember that salaries will vary from school to school.

So exactly how much will an HLTA make?

The median salary for an HLTA in the UK is £23,400 yearly or £12 per hour. The most experienced workers can make up to £28,917 per year.

How can I become an HLTA?

We highly recommend earning the Level 4 Certificate in Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) to progress in your teaching assistant role.

The HLTA is composed of seven mandatory units:

• Understand the Higher Level Teaching Assistant role
• Child development and welfare
• Awareness of special educational needs
• Promoting positive behaviour in children and young people
• Providing support for individual learners and small groups
• Developing skills to promote positive working relationships
• Curriculum planning, delivery and assessment

This course requires you to be observed working in a school with children, so you’ll need to already be working or volunteering as a teaching assistant to complete it. 

Full requirements include:

• Be at least 16 years of age
• Have good literacy skills
• Work in a school as a TA for at least 12 hours per week 
• Have at least 50 hours of classroom experience 

Enrol with CTC Training and you can complete the online portion of the qualification at your own pace. Learners have 12 months to complete the course and can view course content or upload assessments at their leisure. 

Take the next step in your teaching assistant career today. Enrol on a course or contact our team for more information.